Prologue

Annandale-on-Hudson
New York
1996

“I will repeat it as much as you want, baldie. I am not going to become one of your child soldiers, nor would I let a potential mind rapist in my head. So, back off.” I said as I batted away the telepathic tendrils of the bald man. I narrowed my eyes, sensing the bald man trying to probe my mind when I refused his help the first time.

However, thanks to my words he stopped, making him sputter in embarrassment  as they hit the mark. This caused dad and mom to stand in shock upon hearing my colorful language.“Jean!” Mother cried, outraged.

My mother, Elaine’s eyes were wide and her mouth agape, however I couldn't find it in myself to care since they brought Professor Charles Xavier despite me doing fine. Where did I go wrong? I controlled my abilities and was doing well at school.

My father took a tissue from his breast pocket and dappled his forehead. It was evident that he was nervous. “Charles, I am sorry I…”

The bald man looked at me with sad eyes, and was this regret? “No, John. This is my fault, she had a right to be angry.” Xavier said, finally turning his head towards my dad.

“What are you sorry for? Jean is the one being rude." Father's eyes when he looked at me promised that we were going to have some words when the good baldie left..

“He tried to probe my mind.” I replied  smoothly, anger lacing my voice.  

I had been waiting for this moment, training really hard when my abilities were activated; since that day Annie died. For once, I didn't fail. Though, the Marvel universe was now going to give me a giant ‘fuck you’. Xavier looked resigned about something, his shoulders sagging, and he seemed to take an important decision, to reveal something about himself. My eyes widened as I leaned forward in panic; don't do it old man, don't!

“Charles?” My father didn’t know what to say to his friend, as he had picked up the same signs as me.

Were they really friends? I would be disappointed if they were and lose respect toward my father. As for mother, she leaned on the black sofa, staring at me as though I wasn’t her daughter. “I am the same as her, we possess abilities to reach minds other than our own. And I have to say, your daughter is extremely well advanced in her abilities for someone who is self-taught.” Xavier complimented, as he leaned in his wheelchair and smiled at me.

“Aww, baldy is trying to butter me up.” I crossed my legs, placing my hand on my thighs primly, my confrontational attitude intact. I didn't want to have anything to do with the man or the X-Men  right now and surely not meeting with Summers.

“It was easy when I discovered how it works.” I harrumphed  angrily, why do meddlers like him…

My train of thought halted, as I saw my parents looking at us as if we were crazy.

Xavier smiled, eager to speak. “You are aware of the Ast-”

My telekinetic grip sealed his mouth, silencing him. “You shouldn’t use that name here. Seriously, old man you come into my home try to probe my head and air my secret out to my parents, how should I take this?"

I almost snapped his neck with telekinesis at this moment, almost.

"Jean?" Mother muttered, as she sat frozen and gazing at me as if she looked at me for the first time.

"Mother, I am sorry to show you this side of me. I… expected to not have to tell either of you in fact about my abilities." I said as I levitated in the air with the different figurine on the low table now orbiting around my body.

I had been training my telekinesis since it manifested when I was thirteen years old. This was easy for me since I could do so much more.

"What? How?" Mother looked frightened, her knowledge of the world seemingly shattered. Mother loved normality, she thought that stability and never rocking the boat was how everyone should live their life.

Sighing, I released my hold on Xavier who looked surprised by this. As for Father, he looked ready to faint. Too bad for them-they shouldn't have sprang this meeting on me. I had been trying really hard to avoid meeting Charles Xavier on his terms.

To me, the good professor was a part of the problem of why Jean Grey's life was shitty to begin with. Everyone wanted to control me: my parents, Xavier, and all my future and current enemies. Why do I think that? That’s because I am not originally Jean Grey, my soul? Consciousness and memories? They have merged with the redhead’s own.

Was I a fake? An interloper that stole Jean Grey’s future? I didn’t feel like discussing philosophy in my current situation. I extended my feet to the ground and landed before the Professor, towering over him.

“So, as you can see I don’t need your help my good professor. In fact, I would do you a solid and tell you about the trust-me-field that you seem to be unaware of generating. I will give you a pass for that. You should do something about it, it ain’t good to force others even if it isn’t deliberate.” Baldy gasped at that and readily closed his eyes, showing an introspective expression to look at what I have accused him off. While he was doing that, I looked at my parents and invited them to sit and said, “Mom, Dad, since the Professor outed me… I need to tell you about everything.”

I felt the waves of fear and guilt off my mother, and my heart broke as I felt it. Should I turn off my empathy? Or leave it on? I feel like I wouldn’t be able to speak with her at all if it is. But my instinct told me not to. Regarding my dad, he  remained stoic on the outside  but was a mess inside. He thought that he had done something wrong even though inviting Xavier was caused for… his worry for me. He was a sweet man and a doting father, which is why I didn’t want to tell them about my powers.

“Jean you don’t have to.” Father said, raising his hands to wave everything away.

But I couldn’t let it go, as baldy was coming back from his introspective meditation, and he looked shocked- and dare I say upset? It put a smile on my face, because I just tanked his confidence. Good, I did something that might change his fate.

My eyes focused on mother’s who braved her fear and said, “We… we love you Jean.” 

I would have believed her if I didn’t see the tension in her shoulders and the way she avoided making eye contact with me. Shaking my head, I said, “No, I must tell you otherwise it will fester between us. I know you mom, you like normality too much. But I am not normal, not since I was ten years old.” Despite my wishes, tears began trickling down my cheeks. I wiped them with my sleeves and I asked, “Can… I tell you what happened to me?”

The fear stopped abruptly, mother launched from her sofa and hugged me tightly and began to kiss my face and stroke my head. It made me smile, yes. She was still my mother. Charles Xavier looked at us with a patronizing smile, I rolled my eyes at him and this seemed to amuse him even more.

This guy...

“Okay. Mom, dad, what I am about to tell you happened when I was ten years old, and it all began when Annie Richardson was hit by a car.”